Retro Review - BIG

 

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    Of the many wonderful and memorable movies to spawn from one of the golden ages of cinema, BIG is, by far, one of the most influential and beloved. Released in 1988, the film boasts many accomplishments, including but not limited to helping establish Tom Hanks as a serious actor. One aspect of the film makes it particularly relevant for this month, but I'd rather save that later. If you're curious to know what I'm talking about, please stick around and continue reading. The answer just might surprise you. 

    The story follows a thirteen-year-old boy named Josh (David Moscow), struggling with insecurities over his size. He's too small to enjoy fun carnival rides, and he's easily bullied. Until, one fateful night at a traveling carnival, he stumbles upon an ominous fortune telling machine called Zoltar. The machine asks Josh to make a wish. Unsurprisingly, he wishes to be big. After being presented with a little card that reads, "Your wish is granted!" Josh dismisses the whole event and goes home to bed. However, when he wakes up the next morning, he discovers that he has magically transformed into his future thirty-five-year-old self (Tom Hanks). With nowhere else to go, he finds and convinces his best friend, Billy (Jared Rushton), of his situation, and the two of them embark on a quest to find the Zoltar machine and reverse the wish. All the while taking advantage of the privileges and quirks that entail being a grown-up.

    BIG has become a tentpole for cinema. Many people, including other filmmakers, have referred to this movie as one of their greatest influences. In fact, it was recently homaged and used as a reference model for the superhero blockbuster SHAZAM. Which also features a teenaged protagonist who magically transforms into a fully grown adult. 

    BIG is a remarkable film! It was one of my favorites growing up and remains a beloved treasure in my movie collection. One of the aspects of this film that makes it so loveable and memorable, at least to me, is how it tackles the question of "what does it really mean to be an adult?" While the film has a great deal of fun with the idea of a kid's mind trapped inside an adult's body, it also uses this situation to comment on and explore both the importance of childhood and the not-so-scary realities of adulthood. It's a film that reminds you of the importance of maintaining a sense of child-like wonder in every aspect of life, however great or small. Just because you're an adult doesn't mean you can't feel like a kid once in a while. Also, being an adult means you get to decide what that means for yourself. 

    This notion is best exemplified by the most famous and memorable moment in the entire film. 

    About halfway through the story, Josh gets a job working for a toy company as a tester: he is given a few prototype toys to play with before hitting the market and provides his feedback. One day, while enjoying his day off goofing around with a laser tag toy with some other kids, he runs into the toy company owner, Mr. MacMillan (Robert Loggia), who is also visiting the toy store for fun. While the two of them explore the shop together and talk about some of their favorite toys as kids, they stumble upon a giant functioning keyboard on the floor. This prompts Josh and Mr. MacMillan to play a duet together in a fantastic display of youthful gymnastics and musical appreciation. And, in the process, developed a genuine friendship with each other. It is also worth mentioning that Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia performed the entire scene with no doubles. 

    Another fascinating trivia piece about this film is its leading man, Tom Hanks, who almost didn't land the role. When the movie's script was in circulation for potential development, no one wanted to take it up. Until it landed in the hands of a particular director, who shall go nameless for the moment (it's part of the surprise), and immediately wanted Tom Hanks for the role. Unfortunately, Hanks was unavailable at the time, already in the process of making two other movies. So, the studio offered the part to Robert De Nero, which gained much notoriety and attention, prompting the studio to finally pick up the script. However, due to Robert De Nero's six million dollar fee, which was well out of the film's budget, they ultimately decided to wait for when Tom Hanks was free. The moment he was, he accepted the role and a two-million-dollar paycheck. Not too long after the movie hit theaters, it became a roaring success and grossed over a hundred million dollars at the box office. 

    And this leads me to the ultimate reveal as to why I chose to discuss this adorable film today. 

    For those who may not remember, March happens to be Women's History Month. Therefore, I thought doing a Retro-Review of BIG was the best way to kick it off this year. Why? It turns out that Big became the first film to gross over a hundred million dollars directed by a woman, Penny Marshall. 

    BIG was an accomplishment in many ways. The most notable was proving to Hollywood that women directors can be just as successful and marketable as men. Penny Marshall would go on to enjoy a fantastic career as an actress and director, putting many more memorable movies under her belt. Including Awakenings, A League of their Own, and Riding in Cars with Boys. Sadly, Penny Marshall passed away in 2018. Though she left behind a wonderful legacy that will always be cherished in the world of cinema. 

    Hey, Oscar people! How come you never nominated her? 

    I hope you found this entry into Women's History Month to be enlightening and enriching. If you haven't seen this wonderful film yet, I highly encourage you to do so. It will make you feel young again in all the best ways. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Happy Women's History Month!